BOOK REVIEW

Soar With Strengths

Over the years, many books are written regarding how to succeed in life and, more specifically, in work. Although they all have a different approach and premise, it basically comes down to looking a one's strengths and weaknesses -- concentrating on the first and using it most effectively and building up the second. That is the underlying message of Soar with Your Strengths written by Donald O. Clifton, founder and chair of SRI Gallup consulting firm, and author and businesswoman Paula Nelson. The book was written almost 15 years ago, but still offers strong guidelines on "soaring with one's strengths" in the business world.

The book starts with a parable about a rabbit who went to animal school. Here, he was very successful at running and jumping, but less successful at climbing, poor at flying, and dismal at swimming because of his fear. Although humiliated and wanting to drop out, his parents said this was not an option. He then went to talk to the guidance counselor, who said he would not go running anymore but had to take two periods of swimming. As he left the counselor's office panicked, the Wise Old Owl stated, "Br'er rabbit, life doesn't have to be that way. We could have schools and businesses where people are allowed to concentrate on what they do well."

The parable, as the book, is concluding that everyone has different strengths, and it is these that should be used to their maximum ability. One should not ignore weaknesses, and always try to improve them, but the emphasis should be on strong points in order to succeed.

For example, Chapter 3 (39) discusses the history of internationally recognized architect John Portman who designed such works as Peachtree Plaza, Bonaventure, Renaissance Center in Detroit, and atrium concept in Hyatt Hotels. He became an architect after taking a course in mechanical drawing in junior high school, which he thoroughly enjoyed and made him want to draw and sketch everywhere he went. He could choose between two high schools in Atlanta, one that stressed a wide curricula for college prep and the other one that offered a number of technical programs.

He met with the principal of the technical school and said he wanted to be an architect and to attend his school and only take courses that would relate to drawing and architecture. The principal said, "Young man, if at this age you have already decided what you want to do, I am not going to stand in your way."

In today's society, such an outlook is usually discouraged, since it is believed that people need a "well-rounded education" and technical schools are inferior to liberal arts because of this. The authors of this book feel differently. They stress that "studies of human development show that once a person has an area of competency, structuring of knowledge provides a framework for acquiring new knowledge and understanding" (40).

Once a person is competent in an area of strength, he or she can begin to add other areas and build on experience.

How does one know what his or her strengths are? Hints of strengths include Yearnings (to do, not to have the trappings); Satisfactions; Rapid learning; Glimpses of excellence; and Total Performance of Excellence or flow of behavior that occurs unconsciously.

One should sort the strengths found and go with just one at a time. This sounds difficult, but it works well. Then perfect it by doing it over and over. Only then go on to the next strength.

In contrast, one also has to find one's weaknesses: These include eight steps:

1) Feel defensiveness about performance; 2) Obsessive attempts to overcome something we do; 3) Slow learning (just don't "get it"); 4) No profit or gain from repeated experience; 5) Having to continually think through the step of a process;

6) Decrease in confidence drops when performing the activity; 7) Having no vision of doing this in the future; and 8) Feeling burnout when doing the activity.

The important goal is "owning the weakness," or accepting it. Then managing this weakness, but not trying to make it a strength, and finally find alternatives to these the weaknesses, such as finding someone else who is strong in the area.